Archive for
September 2nd, 2014

Charlotte Hornets forward Noah Vonleh underwent successful surgery today to repair a sports hernia suffered in a recent workout. The surgery was performed in Charlotte by Dr. B. Todd Henneford. Vonleh is expected to miss approximately 6-8 weeks.

The ninth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Vonleh was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-Big Ten in 2013-14 at Indiana University after averaging 11.3 points, a Big Ten-high 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game.

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent guard Aaron Craft, along with free agent forwards James Michael McAdoo and Mitchell Watt to contracts, the team announced today.

All three rookies played for the Warriors at the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Craft, 23, played four seasons collegiately at Ohio State, where he earned the NABC and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards this past season as a senior. The 6’2” guard amassed career averages of 8.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 148 games (second most in school history) and was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team in each of his four seasons. With the Warriors Summer League squad, the Findlay, OH, native averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.60 steals and 22.2 minutes off the bench over five games. He led the team in assists and steals during the Summer League.

McAdoo, 21, played three seasons at the University of North Carolina, amassing career averages of 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.22 steals in 24.9 minutes over 108 games. Last season, as a junior, the 6’9” forward earned Second Team All-ACC honors after averaging 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.32 steals in 34 contests. In five games with the Warriors Summer League team (all starts), the Norfolk, VA, native averaged 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.00 steal and 1.20 blocks in a team-leading 29.0 minutes per game. McAdoo’s father, Ronnie, is a member of Old Dominion University’s Hall of Fame and played professionally in France, Spain and Japan.

Watt, 24, has played professionally the last two seasons in Israel, averaging 13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks in 34 games last season with Ironi Nes Ziona. Prior to making his professional debut with Galil Gilboa in 2012-13, Watt played collegiately for four seasons at the University of Buffalo. As a senior in 2011-12, the 6’10” forward averaged 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 blocks over 31 games en route to earning MAC Player of the Year honors and All-MAC First Team recognition.

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer blog reporting on Thaddeus Young, whose time on the 76ers is over as he starts fresh with the young Minnesota Timberwolves:

Young, who will earn $9.1 million this season and has a $9.7 million player option for the 2015-2016 season, can’t wait to get started in his new setting.

“It feels great,” Young said. “They came after me and they sent two guys and a pick over to get me so that says a lot about what the organization wanted and they went and got me. I’m very happy, very excited.”

Young, who averaged 17.9 points and 6.0 rebounds, is expected to be one of the Wolves leaders. He is just 26 years old but is entering his eighth NBA season.

“It’s a great thing for the younger guys, it’s a great thing for me,” Young said. “I can step into a situation were I already kind of know some of the concepts and I can help the young guys get better.”

Rose has seemed more at ease since the squad left the United States for Europe. He’s facing all the questions about his knees from nosy reporters head-on, even after Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN.com last week that he sensed “a part of [Rose] that’s like, ‘Quit asking me how I feel, I’m good.’”

“I’m just trying to put that behind me,” Rose said of any trepidation he’s feeling as he ramps up his comeback from the two devastating injuries that limited him to 10 games over the past two seasons with the Bulls.

“I know the questions are going to come and they’re going to be there the whole year. So I can’t get tired of it. I’m feeling good right now.

“Just trying to get in better shape, get in better condition, so that when I do need to score the ball, then it’ll be there.”

Before the tournament started, Rose likened the prospect of five games in the first six days of the World Cup to an “AAU-type schedule.”

Finnish point guard Petteri Koponen hopes to be playing in the NBA by the 2015-16 season.

Here at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Koponen told ESPN.com he intends to make the jump to the NBA after completing the final season on his contract with BC Khimki in Russia.

“I always said my dream is to play in the NBA,” Koponen said. “Every summer we talk a little bit with Dallas to see what the situation is and what they think. I’ve got one more year left on my contract in Russia and then of course I would like to come over. I hope I get some options to go there and show I can play at that level.”

The Mavericks acquired Koponen’s NBA rights in 2011 in a draft-night trade trade with Portland. He was selected by Philadelphia on behalf of the Blazers with the last pick of the first round in 2007, having played in the Nike Hoop Summit that year against a future MVP named Derrick Rose.